Sleep expert Reena Vokoun shares how to reset your family's sleep habits before school starts. Preschoolers need 10-13 hours, elementary kids 9-12, teens 8-10, adults 7-9. Start adjusting bedtimes 2-3 weeks early and cut screens two hours before bed.
This segment is sponsored by PassionFit. Reena, it is so tough to believe it is time to get back into those school routines, and you have some great tips for us when it comes to getting better sleep. So what should we be keeping in mind before we talk about our routines?
Yeah, so sleep is so important. According to the Johns Hopkins Children's Hospital, it's really important for kids to get a sufficient amount of sleep for proper behavior, for attention spans, for memory, cognitive functioning, all of those things. And for their mental and physical well-being. And that all applies to adults as well. So there are some guidelines by the American Academy of Pediatrics that breaks down by age how much sleep your kids should be getting, and then us as adults as well. So I'll just start with preschool age, 'cause that's usually when back to school starts, right? So if you have kids that are between the ages of 3 and 5, you wanna make sure they're getting between 10 and 13 hours of sleep per night. Once they hit elementary school, between the ages of 6 and 12, they wanna be getting 9 to 12 hours of sleep per night. When they're in their teenage years, between 13 and 18, they should be getting 8 to 10 hours of sleep, and then when they're 18+ and adults like all of us, then it's 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night.
Okay, wonderful. Well, we know that sleep is good for us. We know that it is important, and I think we often know what we should be doing, but it's not always as easy to be disciplined about it. But you think you can help us all get on track?
Absolutely. So let's start with bedtimes and wake-up times, right? We want to make sure that after summer vacations, maybe travel into different time zones, different different camping activities, whatnot, it's important to reestablish those bedtimes that they're going to have when school starts back up. So if you can try to those weeks before school starts have those consistent bedtimes and wake-up times, that's just going to help the whole family, including the parents, to really get back into that schedule. So I would say maybe 2 to 3 weeks before school starts back up, try to reestablish those routines.
Okay, and there are certain things we should be doing and things we shouldn't be doing as we are getting ready to fall asleep. So where do you want to begin?
Yeah, so let's start with Screens, right? That's a big one. Obviously, a lot of parents, our house included, many of my clients as well, are a little more relaxed in the summer with the kids. They can have screen time a little bit longer, right? You might be playing outside with longer days. Let's just really stretches into the nighttime hours, but I would say about 2 hours before bedtime, you want to have them put away screens. So tablets, phones, and the like. Also avoid liquids and sugary drinks and other desserts and things about 2 hours before bedtime as well. That's just gonna help for them to be less hyper, less overstimulated with that blue light from their screens, and then when you're drinking a lot of liquids, then you're gonna have to get up and go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, which is very disruptive to sleep as well. So I would say again, 2 hours, just put those screens and those liquids away, and again, that applies to the parents too.
I know, it is so tough to get back into that routine, but I love the advice about do it before the school year actually starts. 2 to 3 weeks, start working on it. I see some great hygiene products. Yes.
In case you're wondering what that's all about, so it's really your nighttime routines. A lot of kids like to take baths or showers before bedtime, so start that process maybe an hour before. So again, it's all about reestablishing that part of your routine as well.
Okay, and it looks like there's some great reading material out here as well.
Yes, so books, right? I know my husband and I both have stacks of books on our nightstands, and as adults, we all try to read a little bit before bed. It's a great idea to encourage them to do a little reading as well, and again, it just really starts to calm the mind down and really prepare it for a good night of sleep. Sleep.
Well, I know we have built a huge library of all of your advice on our website, thelocalistsd.com, because you are one of our favorite recurring guests. But how else can people get more tips from you and stay informed?
Absolutely. So if you go to passionfit.com, that really lists all the different products and services and content that we offer. There's free content like our YouTube channel and blog. There's also online coaching and in-person coaching if you're here in the San Diego area for wellness. We have programs, we work with organizations as well, so you You can get all of that on the website and then follow us on social media @passionfitllc.
Awesome, Reena, thanks.
Thank you, Ashley.
This segment is sponsored by PassionFit.
